A lawsuit has been filed in Oshawa, Ontario, against a former Durham Regional Police detective, Robert Silipo, along with five other defendants, totaling nearly $300,000. The plaintiffs accuse Silipo of collecting pre-construction home deposits in 2022, which turned out to be part of an alleged scam. Silipo was the primary contact for the home sales, managing agreements, mortgages, and collecting $299,440 in deposits that have now disappeared.
Text messages reviewed by CBC News reveal that Silipo arranged to meet two of the plaintiffs in a parking lot near the Durham police division to exchange paperwork for the purchases. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Alex Henderson, highlighted the trust factor associated with Silipo’s position as a police officer, which may have influenced the plaintiffs’ decision to trust him.
Silipo, through his lawyer Domenic Saverino, denied any wrongdoing and claimed to be a victim in this case. The allegations against Silipo have not been proven in court, and he has not faced criminal charges.
The plaintiffs, similar to other victims previously reported by CBC News, believed they were buying pre-construction homes from a legitimate developer, Paradise Developments, at discounted rates with low mortgage options. However, the company they paid deposits to, “Paradise Development Homes Limited,” had no affiliation with the actual developer.
Another defendant, Moiz Kunwar, faced charges of fraud and possession of illicitly obtained property in connection with the deposit scheme involving other buyers. Peel Regional Police continue to investigate Kunwar for further instances of alleged misrepresentation as a member of a real estate development firm.
The lawsuit against Kunwar, Silipo, and others alleges that they deceived the plaintiffs into purchasing pre-construction homes under false pretenses related to Paradise Developments. Silipo contends that he merely acted as an intermediary at Kunwar’s request and had no direct involvement in the fraudulent transactions.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, none of the plaintiffs have received their deposits back, causing significant distress. One plaintiff intended to use the property for his ailing mother, adding a personal dimension to the financial losses suffered by the victims.
